Dictionary Definition
masturbation n : manual stimulation of the
genital organs (of yourself or another) for sexual pleasure [syn:
onanism, self-abuse]
User Contributed Dictionary
see Masturbation
English
Etymology
From masturbārī, conjectured to have originated from a contraction of manus and turbāre, literally 'to disturb with the hand'.Pronunciation
- (RP): /ˌmæstəˈbeɪʃən/, /%m
Extensive Definition
Masturbation refers to
sexual stimulation,
especially of one's own genitals and
often to the point of orgasm, which is performed
manually, by other types of bodily contact (except for sexual
intercourse), by use of objects or tools, or by some
combination of these methods. Masturbation is the most common form
of autoeroticism,
and the two words are often used as synonyms, although masturbation
with a partner (mutual
masturbation) is also common.
Animal masturbation has been observed in many species, both in
the wild and in captivity.
Etymology
The word masturbation is believed to derive from either the Greek word mezea (μεζεα, "penes") or the Latin manus ("hand") and the Latin turbare ("to disturb"). A competing etymology based on the Latin manu stuprare ("to defile with the hand") is said by the Oxford English Dictionary to be an "old conjecture". The esoteric and little-used synonym manustupration is similarly derived from manus stuprare.While "masturbation" is the
medical term for this practice, many other terms and expressions
are in common use. The term "Onanism," for example, alludes to the
biblical
story of Onan.
In the vernacular, terms such as "pleasuring oneself", "wanking",
"fap", and "jerking off" are common. See masturbate
in Wikisaurus for
many others.
Masturbation techniques
Ways of masturbating common to members of both sexes include pressing or rubbing the genital area, either with the fingers or against an object such as a pillow; inserting fingers or an object into the anus (see anal masturbation); and stimulating the penis or vulva with electric vibrators, which may also be inserted into the vagina or anus. Members of both sexes may also enjoy touching, rubbing, or pinching the nipples or other erogenous zones while masturbating. Both sexes sometimes apply lubricating substances to intensify sensation.Reading or viewing pornography, or sexual
fantasy, are often common adjuncts to masturbation. Often
people will call upon memories during masturbation. Masturbation
activities are often ritualised. Various
fetishes
and paraphilias can
also play a part in the masturbation ritual. Some potentially
harmful or fatal activities include autoerotic
asphyxiation and self-bondage.
Some people get sexual
pleasure by inserting
objects into the urethra (the tube through which urine and, in
men, semen, flows). If these objects are urethral
sounds, the practice is known as "sounding". Other objects such
as ball point pens and thermometers are sometimes used, although
this practice can lead to injury and/or infection. Some people
masturbate by using
machines that simulate intercourse.
Men and women may masturbate
until they are close to orgasm, stop for a while to reduce
excitement, and then resume masturbating. They may repeat this
cycle multiple times. Called "edging", this "stop and go" build up
can achieve even stronger orgasms. Rarely, people quit stimulation
just before orgasm to retain the heightened energy that normally
comes down after orgasm due to the release of prolactin hormone. Doing this
could lead to temporary discomfort due to pelvic
congestion.
Austrian psychoanalyst
Wilhelm
Reich in his 1922 essay
Concerning Specific Forms of Masturbation tried to identify
healthy and unhealthy forms of masturbation. He tried to relate the
way people masturbated to their degree of inclination towards the
opposite sex and to their psycho-sexual pathologies.
Female
Female masturbation techniques include a woman stroking or rubbing her vulva, especially her clitoris, with her index and/or middle fingers. Sometimes one or more fingers may be inserted into her vagina to repeatedly stroke the frontal wall of her vagina where her g-spot is located. Masturbation aids such as a vibrator, dildo or Ben Wa balls can also be used to stimulate the vagina and clitoris. Many women caress their breasts or stimulate a nipple with the free hand, if these are receptive areas for sexual stimulation. Anal stimulation is also enjoyed by some. Lubrication is sometimes used during masturbation, especially when penetration is involved, but this is not universal and many women find their natural lubrication sufficient. Common positions include lying on back or face down, sitting, squatting, kneeling or standing. In a bath or shower a female may direct tap water at her clitoris and vulva. Lying face down one may use the hands, one may straddle a pillow, the corner or edge of the bed, a partner's leg or some scrunched-up clothing and "hump" her vulva and clitoris against it. Standing up, a chair, the corner of an item of furniture or even a washing machine can be used to stimulate her clitoris through her labia and clothing.In the 1920s, Havelock
Ellis reported that turn-of-the-century seamstresses using
treadle-operated sewing machines could achieve orgasm by sitting
near the edge of their chairs.
Women can sexually stimulate
themselves by crossing their legs tightly and clenching the muscles
in their legs, creating pressure on the genitals. This can
potentially be done in public without observers noticing. Some
masturbate using only pressure applied to the clitoris without
direct contact, for example by pressing the palm or ball of the
hand against underwear or other clothing.
Thoughts, fantasies and
memories of previous instances of arousal and orgasm can produce
sexual arousal. Some women even claim to be able to orgasm
spontaneously by force of will alone, but that ability, if it
exists at all, may not strictly qualify as masturbation as no
physical stimulus is involved.
Sex therapists will sometimes
recommend that female patients take time to masturbate to orgasm,
especially if they have not done so before.
Male
Mutual masturbation is a sexual act where two or more people stimulate themselves or one another sexually, usually with the hands.This may be done in situations
where the participants do not feel physically able, that it is
socially inappropriate or they do not want full sexual intercourse,
but still wish to enjoy a mutual sexual act. It is also part of a
full repertoire of sexual intercourse, where it may be used as an
interlude, foreplay or
simply as an alternative to penetration. For some people, it is the
primary sexual activity of choice above all others, perhaps because
it enables the individuals to see each other face to face and
leaves the hands free to caress, as in frottage.
Mutual masturbation is
practiced by people of all sexual
orientations. If used as an alternative to penile-vaginal
penetration, the aim may be to preserve virginity or to prevent
pregnancy. Some people choose it as it achieves sexual satisfaction
without actual sex, possibly seeing it as an alternative to
casual
sex.
Masturbation frequency, age and sex
Frequency of masturbation is determined by many factors, e.g., one's resistance to sexual tension, hormone levels influencing sexual arousal, sexual habits, peer influences, health and one's attitude to masturbation formed by culture. Medical causes have also been associated with masturbation.Different studies have found
that masturbation is frequent in humans. Alfred
Kinsey's studies have shown that 92% of men and 62% of women
have masturbated during their lifespan.
"Forty-eight female college
students were asked to complete a sexual attitudes questionnaire in
which a frequency of masturbation scale was embedded. Twenty-four
of the women (the experimental group) then individually viewed an
explicit modeling film involving female masturbation. One month
later, all subjects again completed the same questionnaire.
Subjects in the experimental group also completed a questionnaire
evaluating aspects of the film. Results indicated that the
experimental group reported a significant increase in the average
monthly frequency of masturbation, as compared to the control
group. This same group, however, reported that the film had no
effect on sexual attitudes or behavior."
A 2004 survey by Toronto magazine
NOW was
answered by an unspecified number of thousands. The results show
that an overwhelming majority of the males – 81% – began
masturbating between the ages of 10 and 15. Among females, the same
figure was a more modest majority of 55%. (Note that surveys on
sexual practices are prone to self-selection
bias.) It is not uncommon however to begin much earlier, and
this is more frequent among females: 18% had begun by the time they
turned 10, and 6% already by the time they turned 6. Being the main
outlet of child
sexuality, masturbation has been observed in very young
children. In the book Human Sexuality: Diversity in Contemporary
America, by Strong, Devault and Sayad, the authors point out, "A
baby boy may laugh in his crib while playing with his erect penis
(although he does not ejaculate). Baby girls sometimes move their
bodies rhythmically, almost violently, appearing to experience
orgasm."
The NOW magazine survey has it
that the frequency of masturbation declines after the age of 17.
Many males masturbate daily, or even more frequently, well into
their 20s and sometimes far beyond. This decline is more drastic
among females, and more gradual among males. While females aged
13–17 masturbated almost once a day on average (and almost as often
as their male peers), adult women only masturbated 8–9 times a
month, compared to the 18–22 among men. Adolescent youths report
being able to masturbate to ejaculation around six times per day,
though some men in older middle age report being hard pressed to
ejaculate even once per day. On the other hand healthy 21-28 year
old males are able to masturbate at least 8-10 times per day if
they are not stressed. The survey does not give a full demographic
breakdown of respondents, however, and the sexual history of
respondents to this poll, who are readers of an urban Toronto
lifestyle magazine, may not extend to the general
population.
It appears that females are
less likely to masturbate while in a heterosexual relationship
than men. Popular belief asserts that individuals of either sex who
are not in sexually active relationships tend to masturbate more
frequently than those who are; however, much of the time this is
not true as masturbation alone or with a partner is often a feature
of a relationship. Contrary to conventional wisdom, several studies
actually reveal a positive correlation between the frequency of
masturbation and the frequency of intercourse. One study reported a
significantly higher rate of masturbation in gay men and women who
were in a relationship.
Among some cultures, such as
the Hopi in
Arizona,
the Wogeno
in Oceania,
and the Dahomeans and
Namu of
Africa, masturbation is encouraged, including regular masturbation
between males. In certain Melanesian
communities this is expected between older and younger boys. One
interesting twist is the Sambia tribe of
New
Guinea. This tribe has rituals and rites of passage surrounding
manhood which involve frequent ejaculation through fellatio. Semen is valued and
masturbation is seen as a waste of semen and is therefore frowned
upon even though frequent ejaculation is encouraged. The capacity
and need to ejaculate is nurtured for years from an early age
through fellatio so that it can be consumed rather than wasted.
Semen is ingested for strength and is considered in the same line
as mothers' milk.
Other cultures have rites of
passage into manhood that culminate in the first ejaculation of a
male, usually by the hands of a tribal elder. In some tribes such
as the Agta, Philippines, stimulation of the genitals is encouraged
from an early age. Upon puberty, the young male is then paired off
with a "wise elder" or "witch doctor" who uses masturbation to
build his ability to ejaculate in preparation for a ceremony. The
ceremony culminates in a public ejaculation before a celebration.
The ejaculate is saved in a wad of animal skin and worn later to
help conceive children. In this and other tribes, the measure of
manhood is actually associated more with the amount of ejaculate
and his need than penis size. Frequent ejaculation through
masturbation from an early age fosters frequent ejaculation well
into adulthood.
Masturbation is becoming
accepted as a healthy practice and safe method for sharing pleasure
without some of the dangers that can accompany intercourse. It is
socially accepted and even celebrated in certain circles. Group
masturbation events can be easily found online. Masturbation
marathons are yearly events and are occurring across the globe.
These events provide a supportive environment where masturbation
can be performed openly among young and old without embarrassment.
Participants talk openly with onlookers while masturbating to share
techniques and describe their pleasure.
Evolutionary utility
Masturbation may increase fertility during intercourse.Female masturbation alters
conditions in the vagina, cervix and uterus, in ways that can alter
the chances of conception from intercourse, depending on the timing
of the masturbation. A woman's orgasm between one minute before and
up to 45 minutes after insemination favors the chances of that
sperm reaching her egg. If, for example, she has had intercourse
with more than one male, such an orgasm can increase the likelihood
of a pregnancy by one of them. Female masturbation can also provide
protection against cervical infections by increasing the acidity of
the cervical mucus and by moving debris out of the
cervix.
Health and psychological effects
Benefits
The physical benefits of masturbation and having an orgasm or ejaculating creates heightened arousal while epinephrine courses through the body, producing the flushed face, shallow breath and post-climactic euphoria. It is held in many mental health circles that masturbation can relieve depression, stress and lead to a higher sense of self-worth (Hurlbert & Whittaker, 1991). Masturbation can also be particularly useful in relationships where one partner wants more sex than the other – in which case masturbation provides a balancing effect and thus a more harmonious relationship.Mutual
masturbation, the act by which two or more partners stimulate
themselves in the presence of each other, allows a couple to reveal
the "map to [their] pleasure centers". Witnessing a partner
masturbate is an educational activity to find out the method a
partner pleases him- or herself, allowing each partner to learn
exactly how the other enjoys being touched.
In 2003, an Australian
research team led by Graham Giles of
The Cancer Council Australia concluded that frequent
masturbation by males appears to help prevent the development of
prostate
cancer. The study also indicated that this would be more
helpful than ejaculation through sexual intercourse because
intercourse can transmit diseases that may increase the risk
of cancer instead. Also, frequent ejaculation is more easily
obtained and sustained over time with the aid of
masturbation.
A study published in 1997
found an inverse association between death from coronary heart
disease and frequency of orgasm even given the risk that myocardial
ischaemia and myocardial infarction can be triggered by sexual
activity. Excerpt, "The association between frequency or orgasm and
all cause mortality was also examined using the midpoint of each
response category recoded as number of orgasms per year. The age
adjusted odds ratio for an increase of 100 orgasms per year was
0.64 (0.44 to 0.95)." That is, a difference between any two
subjects appeared when one subject ejaculated at around two or more
more times per week than the other. Assuming a broad range average
of between 3 to 5 ejaculations per week for healthy males, this
would mean 5 to 7 ejaculations per week. This is consistent with a
2003 Australia article on the benefits against prostate
cancer.
Masturbation is also seen as a
sexual technique that protects individuals from the risk of
contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Support for such a view,
and for making it part of the American sex education curriculum,
led to the dismissal of US Surgeon General Joycelyn
Elders during the Clinton administration.
Sexual climax, from
masturbation or otherwise, leaves one in a relaxed and contented
state. This is frequently followed closely by drowsiness and sleep
– particularly when one masturbates in bed.
Some professionals consider
masturbation to function as a cardiovascular workout. Though
research is still as yet scant, those suffering from cardiovascular
disorders (particularly those recovering from myocardial
infarction, or heart attacks) should resume physical activity
(including sexual intercourse and masturbation) gradually and with
the frequency and rigor which their physical status will allow.
This limitation can serve as encouragement to follow through with
physical therapy sessions to help improve endurance.
Blood pressure
Both sex and masturbation lower blood pressure. A small study has shown that in one test group, recent full intercourse resulted in the lowest average blood pressure in stressful situations. Masturbation then led to lower blood pressure than did no recent sexual activity.Insertion
Objects inserted into the vagina or anus should be clean and of a kind that will not scratch or break. Care should be taken not to fully insert anything into the anus – any object used should have a flared or flanged base; otherwise retrieval can require medical intervention. Modern dildos and anal plugs are designed with this feature.Pregnancy
Masturbation involving both a man and a woman (see mutual masturbation) can result in pregnancy only if semen contacts the vulva. Masturbation with a partner can also theoretically result in transmission of sexually transmitted diseases by contact with bodily fluids.Problems for males
A man whose penis has suffered a blunt trauma or injury during intercourse may rarely sustain a penile fracture or suffer from Peyronie's disease. Phimosis is "a contracted foreskin (that) may cause trouble by hurting when an attempt is made to pull the foreskin back". In these cases, any energetic manipulation of the penis can be problematic.Lawrence I. Sank thought that
masturbating prone (lying face downward) could be responsible for
sexual problems in some men including anorgasmia and erectile
dysfunction. He based this theory on four men he examined and
coined the term traumatic masturbatory syndrome to describe it. As
of 2008, no follow-up research has been conducted and the idea is
not familiar or widely-held within the medical community. Some
authors, however, continue to give it credence.
Compulsive masturbation
Sigmund Freud pointed out that every normal child usually experiments with many types of autoerotic sexual stimulation. Social repressions of sexuality reached their peak in the Victorian era when popular authors wrote books threatening young children with mental deficiency or insanity if they indulged in any form of masturbation. Actually there is no scientific evidence of any causative relationship between autoeroticism and any form of mental disorder. Though mentally disturbed persons characteristically show poor judgment in expressing sexuality, this may be understood as a symptom rather than a cause. Each child however, must learn the appropriate social and legal limitations relating to expressing sexuality. Masturbating frequently presents no physical, mental or emotional risk in itself, but masturbation can be used to relieve boredom or stress. In either case, as with any "nervous habit", it is more helpful to consider the causes of the boredom or of the stress, rather than try to repress the masturbation.There is some discussion
between professionals and other interested parties as to the
existence or validity of sexual
addictions. Nevertheless, there are lists of warning signs such
as when sexual activity affects a person's ability to function in
everyday life, or is placing them at risk, for example, of pursuing
illegal or destructive activities. Very frequent and compulsive
masturbation may be seen as a sign of sexual
addiction.
Masturbation in history and society
Antiquity
There are depictions of male
masturbation in prehistoric rock
paintings around the world. Most early people seem to have
connected human sexuality with abundance in nature. A clay figurine
of the 4th millennium BC from a temple site on the island of
Malta,
depicts a woman masturbating. However, in the ancient world
depictions of male masturbation are far more common.
From the earliest records,
ancient Sumer
had a relaxed attitude toward sex, and masturbation was a popular
technique for enhancing potency, either alone or with a
partner.
Male masturbation became an
even more important image in ancient
Egypt: when performed by a god it could be considered a
creative or magical act: the god Atum was believed to
have created the universe by masturbating to ejaculation, and the
ebb and flow of the Nile was attributed to
the frequency of his ejaculations. Egyptian pharoahs, in response to this,
were at one time required to masturbate ceremonially into the
Nile.
The ancient Greeks had a more
relaxed attitude toward masturbation than the Egyptians did,
regarding the act as a normal and healthy substitute for other
forms of sexual pleasure. They considered it a safety valve against
destructive sexual frustration. The Greeks also dealt with female
masturbation in both their art and writings. One common term used
for it was anaphlan, which roughly translates as
"up-fire".
Diogenes,
speaking in jest, credited the god Hermes with its
invention: he allegedly took pity on his son Pan, who
was pining for Echo but
unable to seduce her, and taught him the trick of masturbation in
order to relieve his suffering. Pan in his turn taught the habit to
young shepherds.
Religious views
- Also see Sexuality and Religion for broad coverage of this topic
Religions vary broadly in
their views of masturbation, from completely impermissible to
encouraged as a way to achieve greater spirituality (see, for
example Tantric
sexuality and Taoist
sexual practices).
Philosophical arguments
Immanuel Kant regarded masturbation as a violation of the moral law. In the Metaphysics of Morals (1797) he made the a posteriori argument that 'such an unnatural use of one's sexual attributes' strikes 'everyone upon his thinking of it' as 'a violation of one's duty to himself', and suggested that it was regarded as immoral even to give it its proper name (unlike the case of the similarly undutiful act of suicide). He went on, however, to acknowledge that 'it is not so easy to produce a rational demonstration of the inadmissibility of that unnatural use', but ultimately concluded that its immorality lay in the fact that 'a man gives up his personality … when he uses himself merely as a means for the gratification of an animal drive'.Subsequent critics of
masturbation tended to argue against it on more physiological
grounds, however (see
medical attitudes).
Medical attitudes
The first use of the word "onanism" to consistently and specifically refer to masturbation appears to be Onania, an anonymous pamphlet first distributed in London in 1716. It drew on familiar themes of sin and vice, this time in particular against the "heinous sin" of "self-pollution". After dire warnings that those who so indulged would suffer impotence, gonorrhea, epilepsy and a wasting of the faculties (included were letters and testimonials supposedly from young men ill and dying from the effects of compulsive masturbation) the pamphlet then goes on to recommend as an effective remedy a "Strengthening Tincture" at 10 shillings a bottle and a "Prolific Powder" at 12 shillings a bag, available from a local shop.One of the many horrified by
the descriptions of malady in Onania was the notable Swiss
physician Samuel-Auguste
Tissot. In 1760, he published L'Onanisme, his own comprehensive
medical treatise on the purported ill-effects of masturbation.
Citing case studies of young male masturbators amongst his patients
in Lausanne, Switzerland as
basis for his reasoning, Tissot argued that semen was an "essential
oil" and "stimulus" that, when lost from the body in great amounts,
would cause "a perceptible reduction of strength, of memory and
even of reason; blurred vision, all the nervous disorders, all
types of gout and rheumatism, weakening of the
organs of generation, blood in the urine, disturbance of the
appetite, headaches and a great number of other
disorders."
Though Tissot's ideas are now
considered conjectural at best, his
treatise was presented as a scholarly, scientific work in a time
when experimental physiology was practically nonexistent. The
authority with which the work was subsequently treated – Tissot's
arguments were even acknowledged and echoed by luminaries such as
Kant and
Voltaire –
arguably turned the perception of masturbation in Western medicine
over the next two centuries into that of a debilitating
illness.
This continued well into the
Victorian
Era, where such medical censure of masturbation was in line
with the widespread social conservatism and opposition
to open sexual behavior common at the time. There were
recommendations to have boys' pants constructed so that the
genitals could not be touched through the pockets, for
schoolchildren to be seated at special desks to prevent their
crossing their legs in class and for girls to be forbidden from
riding horses and bicycles because the sensations these activities
produce were considered too similar to masturbation. Boys and young
men who nevertheless continued to indulge in the practice were
branded as "weak-minded." Many "remedies" were devised, including
eating a bland, meatless diet. This approach was promoted by
Dr.
John Harvey Kellogg (inventor of corn flakes)
and Rev.
Sylvester Graham (inventor of Graham
crackers). The medical literature of the times describes
procedures for electric shock treatment, infibulation, restraining
devices like chastity
belts and straitjackets, cauterization or – as a
last resort – wholesale surgical excision
of the genitals. Routine neonatal circumcision was widely
adopted in the United
States and the UK at
least partly because of its believed preventive effect against
masturbation (see also
History of male circumcision). In later decades, the more
drastic of these measures were increasingly replaced with
psychological techniques, such as warnings that masturbation led to
blindness, hairy hands or stunted growth. Some of these persist as
myths even today.
At the same time, the supposed
medical condition of hysteria—from the
Greek hystera or uterus—was being treated by what would
now be described as medically administered or medically prescribed
masturbation for women. Techniques included use of the earliest
vibrators and rubbing the genitals with placebo
creams.
Medical attitudes toward
masturbation began to change at the beginning of the 20th century
when H.
Havelock Ellis, in his seminal 1897 work Studies in the
Psychology of Sex, questioned Tissot's premises, cheerfully named
famous men of the era who masturbated and then set out to disprove
(with the work of more recent physicians) each of the claimed
diseases of which masturbation was purportedly the cause. "We reach
the conclusion", he wrote, "that in the case of moderate
masturbation in healthy, well-born individuals, no seriously
pernicious results necessarily follow."
Robert
Baden-Powell, the founder of The
Scout Association, incorporated a passage in the 1914 edition
of Scouting
for Boys warning against the dangers of masturbation. This
passage stated that the individual should run away from the
temptation by performing physical activity which was supposed to
tire the individual so that masturbation could not be performed. By
1930, however, Dr. F. W. W.
Griffin, editor of The Scouter, had written in a book for Rover
Scouts that the temptation to masturbate was "a quite natural stage
of development" and, citing Ellis'
work, held that "the effort to achieve complete abstinence was a
very serious error."
The works of Sexologist
Alfred
Kinsey during the 1940s and 1950s insisted that masturbation
was an instinctive behavior for both males and females, citing the
results of Gallup Poll surveys indicating how common it was in the
United States. Some critics of this theory held that his research
was biased and that the Gallup Poll method was redundant for
defining "natural behavior".
In 1994, when the
Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Joycelyn
Elders, mentioned as an aside that it should be mentioned in
school curricula that
masturbation was safe and healthy, she was forced to resign, with
opponents asserting that she was promoting the teaching of how to
masturbate. Many believe this was the result of her long history of
promoting controversial viewpoints and not due solely to her public
mention of masturbation.
Law
The legal status of masturbation throughout history has varied from virtually unlimited acceptance to complete illegality. In a 1640s law code for the Puritan colony of New Haven, Connecticut in the 17th century "blasphemers, homosexuals and masturbators" were eligible for the death penalty.Masturbate-a-thon
Masturbate-a-thons are public, charity events that are "intended to encourage people to explore safer sex, talk about masturbation and lift the taboos that still surround the subject." May is considered "Masturbation Month" by an evolving, loosely connected group of masturbation activists, including Betty Dodson, Joani Blank, Susan Block, Kyla Zellers, Carol Queen, and Dr. Gary Francis Fanning Jr.Euphemisms
A large variety of euphemisms and dysphemisms exist which describe masturbation. For a complete list of terms, see the entry for masturbate in Wikisaurus.Masturbation in media
Paintings and drawings
There are depictions of male
masturbation in prehistoric rock
paintings around the world. Most early people seem to have
connected human sexuality with abundance in nature. A clay figurine
of the 4th millennium BC from a temple site on the island of
Malta,
depicts a woman masturbating. However, in the ancient world
depictions of male masturbation are far more common.
Film
A number of films feature
masturbation scenes.
Music
In popular music, there are a handful of songs that deal with the issue of masturbation. Some of the earliest examples are "My Ding-a-Ling" by Chuck Berry and "Pictures of Lily" by The Who.Some of the more recent
popular songs are "Turning
Japanese" by The Vapors, a
reference to the Oriental facial features people get at the moment
of climax and "She Bop" by
Cyndi
Lauper which was so obviously about masturbation that it was
required to have a parental
advisory sticker. In an interview Lauper admitted recording the
song naked. "I Touch
Myself" by Divinyls is a
celebration of female masturbation. "Touch of
My Hand" by Britney
Spears is also about how female masturbation is
normal.
The song Orgasm
Addict by The Buzzcocks also
features lyrics centered around the theme of masturbation. Another
song,
Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too By Say Anything
has a chorus that repeats the lines "She Touched
Herself".
Literature
In October 1972, an important censorship case was held in Australia, leading to the banning of Philip Roth's novel Portnoy's Complaint in that country due to its masturbation references. The censorship led to public outcry at the time.Masturbation in other animal species
Masturbatory behavior has been documented in a very wide range of species. Individuals of some species have been known to create tools for masturbation purposes.See also
References
Notes
Further reading
- Brody, Stuart. "Slimness is associated with greater intercourse and lesser masturbation frequency" Journal Of Sex & Marital Therapy Volume 30, Issue 4, July - September 2004, Pages 251-261
- DeMartino, Manfred F. Human Autoerotic Practices. New York: Human Sciences Press, 1979. ISBN 0-87705-373-1.
- Marcus, Irwin M. Masturbation: From Infancy to Senescence. New York: International Universities Press, 1975. ISBN 0-8236-3150-8.
- Hurlbert, David Farley & Karen Elizabeth Whittaker. (1991). “The Role of Masturbation in Marital and Sexual Satisfaction: A Comparative Study of Female Masturbators and Nonmasturbators.” Journal of Sex Education & Therapy, 17(4), 272–282.
- Buddhist Sexual Ethics, by Winton Higgins
External links
sisterlinks Masturbation- Masturbating may protect against prostate cancer, New Scientist, July 16, 2003.
- Masturbation Guide Masturbation articles by sexologists
- Site about masturbation for males and females
- Health benefits of masturbation
- Clitical.com An educational site devoted to female masturbation* JackinWorld Educational male masturbation website
- Male Masturbation Techniques Illustrations and written descriptions.
- History of Masturbation
- "Some Thoughts on the Science of Onanism" Mark Twain's 1879 speech on masturbation given at The Stomach Club in Paris.
masturbation in Afrikaans:
Masturbasie
masturbation in Arabic: عادة
سرية
masturbation in Belarusian:
Мастурбацыя
masturbation in Bulgarian:
Мастурбация
masturbation in Catalan:
Masturbació
masturbation in Czech:
Masturbace
masturbation in Welsh: Hunan
leddfu
masturbation in Danish:
Onani
masturbation in German:
Masturbation
masturbation in Modern Greek
(1453-): Αυνανισμός
masturbation in Spanish:
Masturbación
masturbation in Esperanto:
Sinmasturbado
masturbation in Basque:
Masturbazio
masturbation in Persian:
استمناء
masturbation in French:
Masturbation
masturbation in Galician:
Masturbación
masturbation in Korean:
자위행위
masturbation in Croatian:
Masturbacija
masturbation in Indonesian:
Masturbasi
masturbation in Icelandic:
Sjálfsfróun
masturbation in Italian:
Masturbazione
masturbation in Hebrew:
אוננות
masturbation in Georgian:
მასტურბაცია
masturbation in Kurdish:
Mastûrbasyon
masturbation in Latin:
Masturbatio
masturbation in Lithuanian:
Masturbacija
masturbation in Hungarian:
Önkielégítés
masturbation in Macedonian:
Мастурбација
masturbation in Dutch:
Masturbatie
masturbation in Japanese:
オナニー
masturbation in Norwegian:
Onani
masturbation in Norwegian
Nynorsk: Onani
masturbation in Polish:
Masturbacja
masturbation in Portuguese:
Masturbação
masturbation in Romanian:
Masturbare
masturbation in Russian:
Мастурбация
masturbation in Simple
English: Masturbation
masturbation in Slovak:
Masturbácia
masturbation in Finnish:
Itsetyydytys
masturbation in Swedish:
Onani
masturbation in Tagalog:
Pagsasalsal
masturbation in Tamil: சுய
இன்பம்
masturbation in Thai:
การสำเร็จความใคร่
masturbation in Vietnamese:
Thủ dâm
masturbation in Ukrainian:
Мастурбація
masturbation in Yiddish:
מעסטובארטאציע
masturbation in Contenese:
自慰
masturbation in Samogitian:
Mastorbacėjė
masturbation in Chinese:
手淫